The 1st International Online Conference on Gels
The 1st International Online Conference on Gels
Part of the International Online Conference on Gels series
Event's Timezone: Central European Time
4 September 2025
1 October 2025
28 November 2025
Colloidal Gels, Polyelectrolyte Gels, Biopolymer Gels, Smart Gels, Protein and Biological Gels
Registrations are Open till 28 November 2025. Register for Free HERE.
Check out the full program now available:
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
For any inquiries, please contact us at iocg2025@mdpi.com.
Welcome from the Chair
It is my pleasure to announce the 1st International Online Conference on Gels (IOCG 2025). This conference has been organized by the MDPI open access journal Gels (ISSN 2310-2861, Impact Factor 5.3) and will be held online from 3 to 5 December 2025.
The conference will provide an opportunity for scientists and engineers in academia and industry to present their latest research and to participate in discussions and exchange ideas to advance the development of materials with a three-dimensional network structure. The themes of the conference include the following:
- The supramolecular structure and properties of gels;
- Hydrogels, organogels, xerogels, and aerogels;
- Gels in agriculture and food;
- Gels in medicine, regenerative medicine, pharmacy, and personal care products;
- Gels in electro-magneto-mechanical devices, 3D printing, and manufacturing;
- Gels in chemical processing, energy, and environment.
This event will solely be an online conference, which allows for the participation of scientists from all over the world without travel limitations. Participation in this online conference is free of charge.
We look forward to your participation.
Kind regards,
Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari
Biomimetic Materials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
The chair of the 1st International Online Conference on Gels
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Event Chair
Biomimetic Materials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
Esmaiel Jabbari is Tenured Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at University of South Carolina. Prof. Jabbari’s laboratory specializes in the creation of multi-cellular tissue models for skeletal tissue engineering and cancer drug delivery. He received Berton Rahn Award in 2012 from AO Foundation and Stephen Milam Award in 2008 from Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation. He was elected to the College of Fellows of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2013. Prof. Jabbari has authored >250 articles and presented >100 invited lectures. He serves as the Academic Editor for PLOS ONE and Associate Editor of Gels.
Session Chairs
Dr. Paula M. T. Ferreira
Center of Chemistry, University of Minho, Gualtar Campus, Braga, Portugal
Session Chair
Paula M.T. Ferreira is an Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Minho with a PhD in Chemistry. She has extensive expertise in peptide synthesis and the preparation of non-proteinogenic amino acids. Over the past five years, her research has focused on the development of supramolecular hydrogels based on dehydropeptides and the synthesis of peptide constructs for medical imaging. She has led multiple research projects funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Agency for Innovation. Paula is the (co)author of over 100 international publications in organic, materials, and medicinal chemistry and has (co)supervised more than 30 PhD and MSc theses.
Prof. Dr. Sidi A. Bencherif
Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
Session Chair
Prof. Dr. Luis Alfonso Trujillo-Cayado
Department of Chemical Engineering, Higher Polytechnic School, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
Session Chair
Prof. Dr. Luis Alfonso Trujillo Cayado is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the Universidad de Sevilla’s Escuela Politécnica Superior. He received his International PhD in Chemistry in 2016 from the University of Seville, with a focus on hydrogel networks and nanoemulsion systems for environmental and food applications. His research interests include nanoemulsions, biopolymer‐based encapsulation, colloidal rheology and sustainable gel formulations for agriculture and food. He has authored over 57 JCR articles (h-index 21) and currently leads projects on bio-based nano-emulgels and functional hydrogel matrices.
Prof. Dr. Aline F. Miller
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Session Chair
Aline is Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, and Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M at the University of Manchester. She is Director of the NW Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst – a £5m flagship programme supercharging the growth of careers, business and our regional economy, while delivering sustainable products and processes. Aline’s research interests sit at the life-science interface with a focus on understanding the self-assembly of peptides, proteins and polymers across the length scales for material design and application. This work has led to several academic awards, including recognition from the Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry, Women in Engineering, The Leverhulme Trust, and also the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for spinning out the company, Manchester BIOGEL, from her work.
Dr. Vincenzo Guarino
Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Naples, Italy
Session Chair
He is Research Director at the institute of Polymers, Composite and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy and Head of Electrospinning and Microscopy labs at the Naples site. His main research interests include biomaterials, scaffold design and additive technologies including electro fluid dynamics (i.e., electrospinning/spraying/atomization) for the fabrication micro/nanostructured bio functional devices, particles and capsules for different applications in biomedical area. He was appointed as PI of several international projects - in collaboration with international academies, research institutes, agencies and R&D companies, member of scientific committees, project review panels and editorial boards of international journals. He is author/co-author of over 200 international publications on the material/biomaterials subjects (November 2025, H-index 49 Scholar source) and he was included in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list by Stanford University ranking since 2021.
Dr. Annarosa Gugliuzza
Institute on Membrane Technology-Research National Council, CNR-ITM, Rende, Italy
Session Chair
Dr Annarosa Gugliuzza is a senior researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM), wihich is part of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). She holds a degree with honors in Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Science from University of Calabria, Italy. She is a lecturer and member of the Doctoral School Committee for the STFCM PhD program at the University of Calabria, Italy. She is a member of the scientific advisory committee for the CHrossLAB that works on cultural heritage recovery and safeguard as part of the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology (DSCTM) of CNR. Skilled in nanomaterials and nano-assembly technologies, her current research interests are mainly in membrane design dedicated to water desalination and reuse, cultural heritage assets, agrofoods, environmental remediation, gas separation, smart surfaces and interfaces, membrane-actuators. Engaged in many editorial activities, she serves as an associate editor and editorial board member for various scientific journals and is the editor of five books on membranes and related technologies. She served as a chair of Workshops and chair of Sessions for various international conferences on materials science, membranes and membrane processes.
Prof. Dr. Dirk Kuckling
Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany
Session Chair
Prof. Dr. Dirk Kuckling studied chemistry at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany from 1986 to 1991 and received his doctorate there in 1994 with a thesis on preparative organic chemistry. He then moved to the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry at TU Dresden, Germany. After an interim stay (2001-2002) as Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA, he was awarded a teaching license in macromolecular chemistry in 2004. He has been Professor of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry at Paderborn University, Germany since March 2008. In October 2019, he was appointed (Honorary) Adjunct Professor at Jiangsu University/China. His main interest is the synthesis and characterization of polymer structures including gels with actuator and sensory properties, as support for catalysts, and for drug delivery systems.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Zille
Department of Textile Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimares, Portugal
Session Chair
Dr. Andrea Zille graduated in Environmental Science with a specialization in Environmental Biochemistry from the University of Venice (Italy) and completed his PhD in Textile Engineering at the University of Minho (Portugal) in 2005, on the Enzymatic Oxidation Processes applied to bioremediation. He developed postdoctoral research in enzymatic fiber coatings and cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides for heavy-metal removal, participating in several European R&D projects. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at the University of Minho and Director of the Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), leading research on biotechnology and nanotechnology applications for functional and sustainable fibrous materials. He has been a Lead Author for the IPCC and is listed in the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier since 2021.
Event Committee
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany
College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
Department of Chemical Kinetics, “Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurugram, India
Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Institut Charles Sadron, UPR 22, CNRS-University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
Macromolecular Chemistry Group (LQM), Department of Physical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
Pharmaceutical and Biomaterial Engineering, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, Lawrenceville, USA
Department of Textile Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimares, Portugal
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Polytechnic University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Department of Chemistry and Physics, Scientific Technical Building of Chemistry, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
National Research & Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Tier II Canada Research Chair in Food Nanotechnology, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Naples, Italy
Department of Biological Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
School of Pharmacy, Drug Delivery Division, University of Camerino, CHIP Research, Camerino, Italy
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Renewable Resources for Sustainability (CERES), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow , UK
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, Holbeach Campus, United Kingdom
Institute on Membrane Technology-Research National Council, CNR-ITM, Rende, Italy
Dr Annarosa Gugliuzza is a senior researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM), wihich is part of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). She holds a degree with honors in Chemistry and a PhD in Chemical Science from University of Calabria, Italy. She is a lecturer and member of the Doctoral School Committee for the STFCM PhD program at the University of Calabria, Italy. She is a member of the scientific advisory committee for the CHrossLAB that works on cultural heritage recovery and safeguard as part of the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology (DSCTM) of CNR. Skilled in nanomaterials and nano-assembly technologies, her current research interests are mainly in membrane design dedicated to water desalination and reuse, cultural heritage assets, agrofoods, environmental remediation, gas separation, smart surfaces and interfaces, membrane-actuators. Engaged in many editorial activities, she serves as an associate editor and editorial board member for various scientific journals and is the editor of five books on membranes and related technologies. She served as a chair of Workshops and chair of Sessions for various international conferences on materials science, membranes and membrane processes.
Plenary Speakers
Prof. Dr. Aldo R. Boccaccini
Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
Design and Characterization of Nanoparticle and Ion Loaded Hydrogels for Biofabrication
Aldo R. Boccaccini is Professor of Materials Science (Biomaterials) and Head of the Institute of Biomaterials at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. He holds an Engineering degree from Instituto Balseiro, Argentina (1987), and a Doctorate in Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) from RWTH Aachen University, Germany (1994). He is also a visiting professor at Imperial College London and RWTH Aachen. His research focuses on ceramics, glasses, and composites for biomedical, structural, and functional applications, particularly bioactive materials, tissue engineering scaffolds, nanomaterials for drug delivery, biofabrication, and antibacterial coatings. He has published over 1100 papers, and has received numerous international honors. In 2025, he received both the George Winter Award (European Society for Biomaterials) and the Larry L. Hench Lifetime Achievement Award (American Ceramic Society).
Prof. Dr. Esmaiel Jabbari
Biomimetic Materials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
Hydrogels in the production of in vitro cell-based cultured meat in food industry
Esmaiel Jabbari is Tenured Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at University of South Carolina. Prof. Jabbari’s laboratory specializes in the creation of multi-cellular tissue models for skeletal tissue engineering and cancer drug delivery. He received Berton Rahn Award in 2012 from AO Foundation and Stephen Milam Award in 2008 from Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation. He was elected to the College of Fellows of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2013. Prof. Jabbari has authored >250 articles and presented >100 invited lectures. He serves as the Academic Editor for PLOS ONE and Associate Editor of Gels.
Prof. Srinivasa Raghavan
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, USA
How to Stick Gels to Metals as well as Biological Tissues
Srinivasa (Srini) Raghavan is a Professor at the University of Maryland, where he heads the Complex Fluids and Nanomaterials Group (https://complexfluids.umd.edu). His contributions to colloid and polymer science include various smart fluids (e.g., fluids whose viscosity can be switched a million-fold by light), hydrogels (e.g., one that rapidly expands in seconds), capsules (e.g., those with multiple layers or compartments) and biomaterials (e.g., polymers that gel blood). A technology invented in his lab to stop bleeding has been translated into a product (Rapid-Seal Wound Gel) that is available in pharmacies across the USA.
Prof. Saad A. Khan
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
Nanodiamond-containing Polymer Hydrogels with pH-tunable Rheology and Tribology for UV Protection
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Keynote Speakers
Innovative and sustainable gels for the preservation of works of art
David Chelazzi received his Master's Degree in Chemistry (2003) and his PhD degree in Science for Cultural Heritage Conservation (2007) at the University of Florence (Italy). He is Associate Professor in Physical Chemistry at the University of Florence (Department of Chemistry and CSGI). His main research involves advanced and nano-materials for art conservation and the industry, and he is involved in European and national projects on such topics (FP7, H2020, HORIZON EUROPE). He is author and co-author of more than 100 papers in the field of physical-chemistry, conservation science, and environmental science.
Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences (DoCPAS), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Topical nanogels in medicine and cosmetics: an overview
Rita Cortesi is Associate Professor at University of Ferrara, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences. After graduation she earned a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and attended a HMC Post-doc fellowship at Nottingham University (UK), Pharmaceutical Sciences Dept. As a Pharmaceutical Technologist, she works on the formulation and development of nanosystems for the controlled release of bioactive molecules, drug delivery systems for gene therapy and pharmaceutical nanotechnology. Other interests are in the cosmetic field. She is the author of more than 170 scientific papers in international journals. Her studies are conducted in collaboration with prestigious international research groups throughout the world.
Department of Organic Chemistry, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Gels and catalysis: A marriage of convenience
David Díaz Díaz received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of La Laguna (ULL) (2002). Then he joined Prof. Finn’s group at TSRI, USA. Since 2006, he has held positions in academia and industry (Ramón y Cajal, UAM, Spain, 2006; Dow, Switzerland, 2007; CSIC, Spain, 2009; University of Regensburg, Germany, Alexander von Humboldt Researcher (2010), Heisenberg Professor (2013), and Privatdozent (since 2018)). In 2020, he was appointed as Distinguished Researcher (ULL) and in 2023 as Full Professor. His main research interest focuses on the development of new functional soft materials for biomedical, environmental, and energy applications.
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN–CNR, URT Messina, Messina, Italy,
Department ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Advanced Hybrid gel-based Materials for Precision Agriculture: A New Frontier in Sustainable Innovation
Dr. Maria Rosaria Plutino, senior researcher at CNR-ISMN (Palermo/Messina), holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from the University of Messina (IT), and a EU funded two-years post-doc at the Lund Chemical Center (SE) She specializes in the design of multifunctional hybrid nanomaterials for sustainable applications across sectors like environment, textiles, precision agriculture, blue-growth, energy, buildings, and cultural heritage. She co-founded the innovative start-up ATHENA Green Solutions, focused on eco-technologies and pollution mitigation. Her work emphasizes green synthesis, circular economy principles, and smart material development. Author of ca 100 publications and 2 patents, she leads and contributes to numerous national and regional research projects.
Invited Speakers
Low molecular weight peptide-based formulations: from hydrogels to nanogels
Carlo Diaferia, Ph.D is Researcher at the Department of Pharmacy and the Research Center for Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB) at the University of Naples “Federico II” (Italy). His research activities are related to supramolecular chemistry and peptide self-assembling as molecular tools for nanomaterials developments. Diaferia's projects span from the design of peptide-based hydrogels and nanogels for drug delivery and regenerative medicine to the development of nanostructured probes for diagnostic and optoelectronic scopes. He is a member of the ItPS (Italian Peptide Society) and GFPPS (Groupe Français des Peptides et des Protéines) and winner of the IV Edition of the Vittorio Erspamer Award for Young Researchers.
Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Nanoclay gels for delivery of regenerative microenvironments
Professor Jon Dawson is Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southampton, where he also serves as Deputy Head of School (Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise) for Human Development and Health. He was former Director of the Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, a leading hub for translational research in regenerative medicine. His current research centres on the unique surface and colloidal properties of clay nanoparticles, particularly within polymer-clay nanocomposites and protein-clay self-assembling systems. These materials are being developed for innovative drug and antimicrobial delivery methods, as well as advanced cell delivery technologies. He has a particular interest in harnessing clay-protein interactions to spatially control and stabilise growth factors, with a primary focus on the safe and effective delivery of BMP2 for spinal fusion. Jon is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Renovos, a spin-out company translating his research into clinically impactful solutions. He co-leads a dynamic research group of six PIs and 20–30 early career researchers, working within a highly translational environment that maintains close collaboration with Southampton General Hospital and access to state-of-the-art biomedical and material science facilities.
Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, University Loyola, Andalusia, Spain
Hydrocolloids and Gels: Rheological Advances in Food Design
Jenifer Santos García is a Ramón y Cajal Researcher at Universidad Loyola Andalucía, where she is the responsible fro the CIMAS group. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2017, Cum Laude with international mention) and a second Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering (2021), both from the University of Seville. Her academic background is complemented by international research stays at Loughborough University (UK), Harvard University (USA), and Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal). Her research focuses on the formulation and characterization of emulsions and nanoemulsions, surface-active systems, sustainable surfactants, biopolymers, and rheological behavior in food and pharmaceutical applications. Since 2022, she has led a Ramón y Cajal project focused on sustainable emulsion technologies. Dr. Santos García has published over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been recognized with several awards, including the 2019 Young Researcher Award from the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry. She is also actively involved in teaching and science communication and contributes to the development of sustainable solutions in colloid and interface science.
ydrocolloids gels: properties quality and applications
Current research interests mainly focus on the structure-function relationship of hydrocolloids, molecular assemblies, formulations, emulsion technology, encapsulation and radiation chemistry of hydrocolloids.
Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Odontostomatological Specialties, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy
Efficacy of Essential Oil Biogels in the Surgical Healing of Oral Soft Tissue
Dr. Luca Fiorillo received his DDS with honors from the University of Messina in 2015. He completed a postgraduate Master’s in Complex Oral Rehabilitations at the University of Catania in 2017, and later earned a PhD in Bioengineering Applied to Medical Sciences in 2022. He has held academic appointments at multiple institutions, authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, and actively participates in international research collaborations. He is also the creator of the fi-index, an innovative bibliometric tool designed to evaluate research impact across disciplines.
CBQF—Center for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry—Associated Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Catholic University of Portugal, Porto, Portugal
Perspectives into the use of bigels for nutraceutical applications
Eduardo Costa, PhD in Biotechnology, is a Senior Researcher at CBQF (UCP-Porto) and Assistant Professor of Immunology at ESB-UCP. His work focuses on green biotech solutions for biomedical, cosmeceutical, and nutraceutical applications. He specialises in upcycling agro-food byproducts, validating bioactivity in cellular models, and designing nanotech delivery systems. He has authored over 82 publications, contributed to 12 funded projects, and holds 4 patents (2 granted). Eduardo is also active in scientific publishing as Guest and Handling Editor in leading journals.
Division of Pharmacy and Optometry & Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Designing self-assembling peptide-based hydrogels for biomedical applications
Alberto graduated and did his PhD at the University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France. Following his PhD, he held several post-doctoral and lectureship positions in Japan, UK, Belgium and France. In 2002 he joined the Department of Materials at the University of Manchester where he established the Polymers & Peptides Research Group (polymersandpeptides.co.uk) which is based at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB). His work includes fundamental, industrial, and translational research. In 2014 he co-founded a start-up company, Manchester BIOGEL, that developed and commercialised advanced peptide-based hydrogels combination products for the life science and biomedical sector. In 2023 the PeptiGels® technology was taken on by Cell Guidance Systems (CellGS.com). In 2016 he was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and in November 2022 Alberto joined the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry in Manchester looking at moving his biomaterial technology from the lab bench to the clinic.
Institute of Polymers, Composite and BIomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Italy
Shaping the future of regenerative medicine: Injectable magnetic gels and 3D Printing strategies toward next generation of bioinspired devices.
Biomedical Engineer, PhD in Materials and Structures Engineering, with a strong background in the design and fabrication of 3D multifunctional scaffolds and polymer-based composites for tissue regeneration. Expert in 3D/4D Printing and Bioprinting, bioinspired design for Additive Manufacturing, biomechanics, hydrogel systems and bioreactor-assisted material characterization, with a particular focus on neurodegenerative disorders. Internationally recognized for contributions in bioprinting and biofabrication, with collaborations involving Fraunhofer Joint Lab IDEAS and CDRsp (Portugal). Active reviewer for international funding agencies and journals. Author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and experienced supervisor of MSc and PhD students.
Institut Charles Sadron, UPR 22, CNRS-University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Polymorphism in Organogels and Oleogels: Impact on Gel Properties and Phase Behavior
Philippe Mésini graduated from the École Normale Supérieure in Paris and received his Ph.D. from the University Louis Pasteur. After a postdoctoral position at the Scripps Research Institute, he joined the Institut Charles Sadron as a junior researcher , and became a senior researcher after a one-year stay at the Max Planck Institute in Mainz. His research focuses on the fundamental properties of molecular gels, including their phase behavior, rheological characteristics, and the impact of polymorphism. He also conducts structural studies using freeze-fracture TEM and small-angle scattering. Recently, he has extended this research to gels in natural edible oils, supported by national research projects and industrial partners.
Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Hydrogels and bacterial: an open crosstalk
Paola Petrini is Associate Professor of Biomaterials at Politecnico di Milano and Director of the Bio-Avatar Lab. She has a background in Chemistry and a PhD in Materials for Engineering and Biomaterials. Her research bridges bioengineering, materials science, and biology, with a focus on hydrogel-based systems for 3D microenvironments, for cells and bacteria. She has co-invented 7 patent families (5 licensed), co-founded two biotech start-ups developing bioinspired platforms for bacteria (Bac3Gel) and protein nanocarriers (NanoMug), and authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications. She is regularly invited as an evaluator for funding programs and has ongoing editorial responsibilities in the field of biomaterials.
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN–CNR, URT-Messina, Messina, Italy
Smart Gels and Functional Hybrid Nanomaterials for Environmental Monitoring and Remediation
Dr. Sfameni is currently a TD Researcher at ISMN-CNR, working on the SAMOTHRACE project within the MUR-PNRR innovation ecosystem. Her research focuses on designing and characterizing hybrid sol-gel-based micro/nanostructured materials to enhance protective performance and optimize surface properties, particularly for precision agriculture. Previously, she was a post-doctoral fellow at ISMN-CNR, funded by the PON MUR 2014-2020 TETI project, where she worked on designing and synthesizing smart materials for sensors to monitor environmental pollutants. Dr. Sfameni obtained her PhD on November 17, 2022, graduating cum laude and receiving the Doctor Europæus distinction. Her doctoral research focused on nanostructured coatings and surface treatments with an emphasis on sustainable, eco-friendly solutions. Dr. Sfameni is recognized as an experienced researcher in materials science, nanotechnology, and sustainable chemistry. Her work integrates sustainable materials to address real-world challenges, including the development of bio-based hydrogels, hybrid polymers for water treatment, eco-friendly and multifunctional coatings for textiles and marine environments.
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN–CNR, URT-Messina, Messina, Italy
Bio-based Gels and Sol–Gel Coatings Embedding Natural Functional Compounds for Circular Manufacturing in Textile Sector
Giulia Rando earned her master’s degree cum laude in Chemistry and completed an Innovative PhD with industrial characterization in Chemical Sciences with honours and Doctor Europæus qualification at the University of Messina. Her doctoral research was centered on the project titled “Design and Development of SmaRt AdvancEd MaterialS and SusTainable Technologies for WAteR Treatment" (RESTART), funded by a PON-MUR scholarship “Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020”. Since 2024 she has been a fixed-term researcher at ISMN–CNR of Messina in the framework of MICS - Made in Italy Circular and Sustainable Extended Partnership. She is also co-founder of the innovative spin-off ATHENA Green Solutions S.r.l., established in 2019, which operates in the field of environmental technologies. Her research primarily focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced multifunctional materials and coatings, developed via sol-gel processes and/or the integration of hybrid nanostructured fillers with bio-based polymers, for sustainable applications.
Program Overview
3 DecemberMorning (CET) |
4 DecemberMorning (CET) |
5 DecemberMorning (CET) |
|
Session 6. Gels in chemical processing, energy, and environment |
Session 1. The supramolecular structure and properties of gel | Session 4. Gels in medicine, regenerative medicine, pharmacy, and personal care products |
3 DecemberAfternoon (CET) |
4 DecemberAfternoon (CET) |
5 DecemberAfternoon (CET) |
|
Session 5.Gels in electro-magneto-mechanical devices, 3D printing, and manufacturing Flash Poster Session |
Session 2. Hydrogels, organogels, xerogels, and aerogels |
Session 3. Gels in agriculture and food |
IOCG 2025 Program (Day 1)
DAY 1 - Morning
Session 6 – Gels in chemical processing, energy, and environment
Date: 3 December 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 09:00 (CET, Basel) | 03:00 (EST, New York) | 16:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
DAY 1 - Afternoon
Session 5 – Gels in electro-magneto-mechanical devices, 3D printing, and manufacturing
Date: 3 December 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 14:00 (CET, Basel) | 08:00 (EST, New York) | 21:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
IOCG 2025 Program (Day 2)
DAY 2 - Morning
Session 1 – The Supramolecular Structure and Properties of Gel
Date: 4 December 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 09:00 (CET, Basel) | 03:00 (EST, New York) | 16:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
DAY 2 - Afternoon
Session 2 – Hydrogels, organogels, xerogels, and aerogels
Date: 4 December 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 14:00 (CET, Basel) | 08:00 (EST, New York) | 21:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
IOCG 2025 Program (Day 3)
DAY 3 - Morning
Session 4 – Gels in medicine, regenerative medicine, pharmacy, and personal care products
Date: 5 December 2025 (Friday)
Time: 09:00 (CET, Basel) | 03:00 (EST, New York) | 16:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
DAY 3 - Afternoon
Session 3 – Gels in Agriculture and Food
Date: 5 December 2025 (Friday)
Time: 14:00 (CET, Basel) | 08:00 (EST, New York) | 21:00 (CST Asia, Beijing)
Sessions
S2. Hydrogels, Organogels, Xerogels, and Aerogels
S3. Gels in Agriculture and Food
S4. Gels in Medicine, Regenerative Medicine, Pharmacy, and Personal Care Products
S5. Gels in Electro-magneto-mechanical Devices, 3D Printing, and Manufacturing
S6. Gels in Chemical Processing, Energy, and Environment
Registration
The registration for The 1st International Online Conference on Gels will be free of charge! The registration includes attendance to all conference sessions.
If you are registering several people under the same registration, please do not use the same email address for each person, but their individual university email addresses. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that the submission and registration are two separate parts. Only scholars who registered can receive a link to access the conference live streaming. The deadline for registration is 28 November 2025.
Instructions for Authors
Important Deadlines
1. Deadline for abstract submission: 4 August 2025 4 September 2025.
2. Announcement of oral and poster abstract results: 4 September 2025 1 October 2025. You will be notified of the acceptance of an oral/poster presentation in a separate email.
Certificates of Participation are available in your logged-in area of Sciforum.net, under “My Certificates” after the conference.
1.The abstract structure should include the introduction, methods, results, and conclusions sections of about 250–300 words in length.
2. All abstracts should be submitted and presented in clear, publication-ready English with accurate grammar and spelling.
3. You may submit multiple abstracts. However, only one abstract will be selected for oral presentation.
Detailed Requirements:
1. The submitting author must ensure that all co-authors are aware of the contents of the abstract.
2. Please select only one presenter for each submission. If you would like to change the presenter after submission, please email us accordingly.
Note: We only accept live presentations.
The slot for the oral presentation is 15 mins. We advise that your presentation lasts for a maximum of 12 mins, leaving at least 3 mins for the Q&A session. Authors are encouraged to prepare a presentation in PowerPoint or similar software, to be displayed online along with the abstract. Slides, if available, will be displayed directly on the website using the proprietary slide viewer at Sciforum.net. Slides can be prepared in exactly the same way as for any traditional conference where research results are presented. Slides should be converted to PDF format prior to submission so that they can be converted for online display.
Poster should include the title, authors, contact details and main research findings, as well as tables, figures and graphs where necessary.
- File format: PDF (.pdf).
- Size in pixel: 1080 width x 1536 height–portrait orientation.
- Size in cm: 38,1 width x 54,2 height–portrait orientation.
- Font size: ≥16.
Examples of successful submissions can be viewed here at the following links: (1), (2), (3).
You can use our free template to create your poster. The poster template can be downloaded HERE.
All posters will be permanently exhibited online in the Poster Gallery.
We will reach out to you closer to the dates of the conference with more information.
It is the author's responsibility to identify and declare any personal circumstances or interests that may be perceived as inappropriately influencing the representation or interpretation of clinical research. If there is no conflict, please state "The authors declare no conflicts of interest." This should be conveyed in a separate "Conflict of Interest" statement preceding the "Acknowledgments" and "References" sections at the end of the manuscript. Any financial support for the study must be fully disclosed in the "Acknowledgments" section.
MDPI, the publisher of the Sciforum.net platform, is an open access publisher. We believe authors should retain the copyright to their scholarly works. Hence, by submitting an abstract to this conference, you retain the copyright to the work, but you grant MDPI the non-exclusive right to publish this abstract online on the Sciforum.net platform. This means you can easily submit your full paper (with the abstract) to any scientific journal at a later stage and transfer the copyright to its publisher if required.
Publication Opportunities
Participants in this conference are cordially invited to contribute a full manuscript to the conference's Special Issue published in Gels (ISSN: 2310-2861, Impact Factor 5.3), with a 20% discount on the publication fee. Please note if you have IOAP/association discounts, conference discounts will be combined with IOAP/association discounts. Conference discounts cannot be combined with reviewer vouchers. All submitted papers will undergo MDPI’s standard peer-review procedure. The abstracts should be cited and noted on the first page of the paper.
All accepted abstracts will be published in the conference report of the 1st International Online Conference on Gels in the Materials Proceedings (ISSN: 2673-4605 ) if you wish to publish an extended proceeding paper (4-8 pages), please submit it to the same journal after the conference.
Proceedings submission deadline: 19 January 2026.
Manuscripts for the proceedings issue must be formatted as follows:
-Title;
-Full author names;
-Affiliations (including full postal address) and authors' e-mail addresses;
-Abstract;
-Keywords;
-Introduction;
-Methods;
-Results and Discussion;
-Conclusions;
-Acknowledgements;
-References.
IOCG 2025_proceeding_paper-template.dot
Event Awards
To acknowledge the support of the conference's esteemed authors and recognize their outstanding scientific accomplishments, we are pleased to announce that the conference will provide 6 awards including Best Oral Presentation Awards and Best Poster Awards.
The Awards
Number of Awards Available: 6
Sponsors and Partners
For information regarding sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please click here.
Organizers
Media Partners
Conference Secretariat
Mrs. Ioana Banu
Mrs. Ioana Vintila
Mr. Ionut Spatar
Email: iocg2025@mdpi.com
For inquiries regarding submissions and sponsorship opportunities, please feel free to contact us.
